Gestures are utilized in a wide variety of applications to convey various messages or instructions. For example, a ground controller utilizes a series of gestures in order to direct an aircraft during taxiing, parking and other ground-based operations. These gestures are predefined and are recognized by the pilots who, in turn, follow the instructions provided via the gestures while the aircraft is on the ground. For example, some of the predefined gestures include gestures indicating all clear, start engine, pull chocks, turn left, turn right, slow down, proceed ahead, insert chocks, cut engine, or the like. In this regard, the Aeronautical Information Manual promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines eleven gestures via which ground controllers provide instructions to a pilot with respect to taxiing and parking operations of the aircraft. Similarly, various branches of the military service, such as the Air Force and the Navy, have promulgated manuals that define even more gestures to be employed by ground controllers in extended ground operations of an aircraft.
In addition to the gestures employed by aircraft ground controllers, a series of predefined gestures are also employed to provide directions or instructions in other situations. For example, police or other traffic directors may employ a series of gestures to direct vehicular traffic.
While the instructions provided via a series of gestures may be suitable in instances in which the pilot, driver or other operator of the vehicle recognizes and can respond to the instructions, the recognition of gestures used to provide instructions to an unmanned vehicle presents additional challenges. In one technique that permits an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to respond to the gestures provided by a ground controller, a video of the ground controller may be captured and may be provided to a remote pilot or other operator. The remote pilot or other operator may watch the streaming video and interpret the gestures of the ground controller and, in turn, direct the UAV via remote control in accordance with the gestures. While this technique may allow a UAV to respond appropriately to the gestures of the ground controller, the operation of the UAV is no longer autonomous during this phase of is operation.
Another technique includes the use of specialized gloves worn by the ground controller. The gloves include electronics, such as position sensors, to detect the position of the hands of the ground controller. The gloves may include or otherwise be associated with a communication interface which provides the position information to an offboard controller. The controller, in turn, may determine the gesture based upon the position information and may, in turn, provide appropriate direction to the UAV to respond to the gesture. However, this technique requires additional equipment, such as the specialized gloves and a controller for interpreting the position signals provided by the gloves and for appropriately directing the UAV. Further, this technique would require a ground controller to behave differently, such as by donning the specialized gloves, to direct a UAV than with other manned aircraft.
Other techniques for recognizing gestures have also been proposed including techniques that rely upon a radon transformer. However, these techniques may, in some instances, impose limitations upon the gestures that may be recognized which may disadvantageously impact or limit the gesture recognition since different ground controllers may assume somewhat different poses in the course of providing the same gesture.
As such, it would be desirable to provide an improved technique for recognizing gestures, such as for use in conjunction with directing aircraft or other vehicles. In particular, it would be desirable to provide an improved technique for recognizing gestures that permits a ground controller to employ the same process regardless of the type of vehicle that is subject to the direction. Further, in conjunction with a UAV, it would be desirable to provide an improved technique for recognizing gestures that allows for the control of a UAV, such as during taxiing and parking operations, that does not require the assistance of a manual operator.